Shelter Dog Meal Donation Count:

Learn More

This ‘Snow Pile’ In Woman’s Yard Is Actually Alive

By: Julie Hunt
Julie Hunt is an avid dog lover and writer for iHeartDogs.com, and has a background as a veterinary technician. She rescued a beautiful former bait dog named Rory.Read more
| January 13, 2025

Most dogs love a cozy bed by the fireplace during cold weather, but not Carl. For this 10-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog who lives in Switzerland, winter is his paradise, and snow is his favorite companion. While many seek warmth indoors during icy storms, Carl can’t wait to plunge into the fresh, white blanket outside. For his owner, Liz Vanderbrouk, this quirky love for the cold has become a regular part of life. Every snowfall transforms her yard into Carl’s personal winter wonderland, where he can be found happily nestled beneath layers of snow for hours on end.

carlthemountaindog/Instagram

Whenever the snow begins to fall, Carl makes it clear he wants to be outside. “He’ll just stare outside and then stare at us and then back outside until we actually let him out,” Vanderbrouk explained in an interview with The Dodo. Once outside, Carl carefully picks a spot, settles down, and allows the snow to envelop him. His younger brother, Steve, a 5-year-old Newfoundland, prefers brief moments in the snow before retreating indoors.

carlthemountaindog/Instagram

At first glance, Carl looks like he’s been buried in the snow after a tragic accident. But, instead, Carl is alive and well under the frigid blanket of snow

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Carl (Bernese Mntn Dog) & Steve (Newfie) | Liz Vanderbrouk (mom) (@carlthemountaindog)

Initially, Carl’s outdoor naps worried his family. They feared he might get too cold. However, after researching the Bernese mountain Dog breed, they realized this behavior was not only safe but perfectly natural. “I Googled it immediately to make sure he was safe because you always hear, ‘If you’re cold, then they’re cold,’ regarding dogs and humans,” Vanderbrouk said. “But I found that the Bernese Mountain Dog breed is just fine in these temperatures and under these conditions, and it’s what he actually wants!”

carlthemountaindog/Instagram

When a video of Carl enjoying the snow went viral on Instagram, followers were fascinated. One commenter explained why Carl thrives in the cold: “Fun fact: If you see an animal on which the snow does not melt, that means that they are perfectly insulated,” wrote @slingu. “The cold does not reach their skin, and their warmth doesn’t escape their fur! So that dog is perfectly warm.”

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Carl (Bernese Mntn Dog) & Steve (Newfie) | Liz Vanderbrouk (mom) (@carlthemountaindog)

Even when the snow isn’t falling, Carl adores the chill of winter. “If there’s no snow but it’s still cold, he’ll still prefer to be outside in the cold grass,” Vanderbrouk said. His energy spikes in cold weather, leading to playful chases with Steve and bursts of joyful barking.

She Could Barely Walk or Breathe When Rescuers Found Her
She Could Barely Walk or Breathe When Rescuers Found Her

Rescuers swooped in, but when they got the pup into their care, she had lost the use of her back legs, was struggling to breathe, and weighed just around 20 pounds.

For Carl, winter is more than a season—it’s his element. And for Vanderbrouk, there’s nothing better than seeing her dog so content. “As dog owners, there’s nothing more satisfying than looking at your fur child and knowing that they’re happy,” she said. “That’s all we want.”

Please ‘SHARE’ to pass on this story to a friend or family member

Loading Checkout...

Looks like your ad blocker is on.

×

We rely on ads to keep creating quality content for you to enjoy for free.

Please support our site by disabling your ad blocker.

Continue without supporting us

Choose your Ad Blocker

  • Adblock Plus
  • Adblock
  • Adguard
  • Ad Remover
  • Brave
  • Ghostery
  • uBlock Origin
  • uBlock
  • UltraBlock
  • Other
  1. In the extension bar, click the AdBlock Plus icon
  2. Click the large blue toggle for this website
  3. Click refresh
  1. In the extension bar, click the AdBlock icon
  2. Under "Pause on this site" click "Always"
  1. In the extension bar, click on the Adguard icon
  2. Click on the large green toggle for this website
  1. In the extension bar, click on the Ad Remover icon
  2. Click "Disable on This Website"
  1. In the extension bar, click on the orange lion icon
  2. Click the toggle on the top right, shifting from "Up" to "Down"
  1. In the extension bar, click on the Ghostery icon
  2. Click the "Anti-Tracking" shield so it says "Off"
  3. Click the "Ad-Blocking" stop sign so it says "Off"
  4. Refresh the page
  1. In the extension bar, click on the uBlock Origin icon
  2. Click on the big, blue power button
  3. Refresh the page
  1. In the extension bar, click on the uBlock icon
  2. Click on the big, blue power button
  3. Refresh the page
  1. In the extension bar, click on the UltraBlock icon
  2. Check the "Disable UltraBlock" checkbox
  1. Please disable your Ad Blocker
  2. Disable any DNS blocking tools such as AdGuardDNS or NextDNS

If the prompt is still appearing, please disable any tools or services you are using that block internet ads (e.g. DNS Servers).

United StatesClose
Flag of United States
Powered by
duty and tax information for United States